«What are you mumbling about?» the bandit shouts when he notices how Alexander and I are conversing without a worry.

He just ordered us to strip and give him our clothes, yet we've found a way to solve a more relevant problem they all have. But first, we have to convince them to let us help. And it doesn't seem that easy, considering the raised rusty weapons and the frowns.

«Listen,» Alexander starts, «we know how we could help you have your people back. But first, you have to let us meet the local lord to investigate.»

«You're lying,» he shouts. «All for a pair of trousers.»

«No, I'm not lying. I believe your wife and children aren't dead. Not yet...»

Hmm... Smart: he's making these people understand that time is a relevant factor. Even though their relatives won't die, they'll be sold somewhere far from here. Then, tracking them will become impossible.

«If we work together, we might find them before it's too late... But I won't be able to help if you steal my trousers.»

«It's all a trick.»

«Then, you can keep the riches for safety. If I don't return, you'll have enough to buy food for days. And my old clothes as well. It's a risk you can take, isn't it? A set of clothes and a carriage in exchange for your family.»

The bandit crooks his mouth and considers, but he's still uncertain. I feel like he won't accept.

«I'll also leave the guards with you. I'll come back for my people after completing the mission,» Alexander adds.

«I still don't believe you... Why don't you leave your wife as a guarantee?»

«No.»

I clench Alexander's shirt by instinct while his arms surround me protectively. I don't want to stay with these strangers alone. I'd prefer to go investigate with him.

«Why not? Are you planning to flee?» he murmurs. «If you come back with our wives, you'll have back yours. We won't touch a single hair if you don't run away. But if you do...»

«I won't leave here without her. I won't leave my wife alone. You find another way to get your families back!»

Maybe this is a bit too extreme. These people are worried, and their criminal activity is due to some injustice they have to withstand.

Even though they're quite organised to be criminals by chance.

«Why aren't you fighting your lord instead of attacking random travellers?» I ask them. They were supposed to start a revolution. What happened to stop them?

«We tried,» he sighs, looking at the tip of his shoes and almost starts crying. «We really tried...»

«What happened?» I inquire, noticing how all the men are now dejected and profoundly sad.

«They killed my brother,» he whispers. «And his children and wife. Without asking twice. I left before causing the same to my family, but it didn't spare their lives...»

«It's horrible,» I whisper. «I'm sorry for your loss.»

«I should have stayed home. To protect them.»

«But have you contacted the guards? Talked to someone from the capital? His majesty won't let the lords treat his majesty's subjects like this. Killing without reason isn't allowed...»

«Thea,» Alexander murmurs. «There aren't laws against this. The administrator of some land is given the right to sentence his peasants according to justice. If the people that were executed committed any crime, even something small like trespassing, then his majesty doesn't have the right to punish the local lord for being harsh.»

«There are serious matters with the Empire's laws,» I comment. Where are their heads and hearts? «There's so much that is concerning... Were you all drunk when you wrote the laws?»

«I don't know. It happened centuries ago.»

«And not one of the Emperors thought about changing any of those old customs?»

«Producing a law is a lot of work. It's not enough to write a decree like in Polis. Emperors do not declare new regulations. Most of them did it once or twice in their life.»

«What's the use of an emperor in such a scenario?»

«They make decisions.»

«Aren't his majesty's decisions part of the law?»

«Yes, but they're ad hoc. They're valid for the situation, and you can't assume his majesty will choose the same path every time something similar happens.»

«This has to change. I'm not that surprised that Ethiro is collapsing. You haven't adapted your laws for half a millennium, damn it!»

The bandits wince, surprised to hear a refined lady cursing.

«I'll have to talk about this with his majesty. And to read the codex with the laws. There are so many things I don't know.»

«But there is a way to stop it,» Alexander says. «Slavery is expressively forbidden. If we can prove that he's been selling people somewhere...»

«Oh, and would our testimony be enough as proof?»

«I'm not sure. It depends on whether this person's friends in the Palace are against me or not. By the way, we can't lie about it. We haven't witnessed anything, and we can't be certain this is the case yet.»

«This territory is not under your governance, Alexander. Are you sure it's wise to meddle in?»

«Should we leave these people to suffer?»

«That's not what I meant. I'm just worried about you...»

«It's a task I left at half, so it's partially my fault if things got out of control. It's time someone solves it once and for all. I thought that changing the local lord would have done the trick, but his successor seems even worse.»

I turn towards the bandits and observe them for a moment.

«What if we have more eyewitnesses? Also, there must be some exchange of money. If we track it down, or even better if we catch the culprits in the act, there won't be any doubt,» I propose. «But we'll need these people's help. Can we trust some bandits?»

«They're desperate, Thea.»

«Is this one of the regions that caused the downfall of the Empire?»

«Yes, it is.»

«Solving this, we'll be a step closer to our goal.»

«Which is?» he inquires, tilting his head.

«A safe and stable place where to raise our children.»

Alexander seems to consider my words with attention, but he's actually repeating the word children in his mind.

«We have to start somewhere,» he says with a shrug.